‘It’s deeply saddening’: how 30 captive beluga whales are being used as bargaining chips in row over animal cruelty.

The beluga known as Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an charming little “ham sandwich”. The whale Orion – called “Onion” – is a sizeable but fiercely protective friend. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and moves like a wiggly creature. Lillooet the beluga is the “biggest cuddle bug” with a gentle spirit.

Thirty captive beluga whales in a Canadian entertainment facility have become pawns in a struggle between a defunct facility, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their future often overlooks the nuances of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been carefully observed by the people who see them each day.

After the federal government disallowed the transfer of the belugas to China, the embattled amusement park near the famous falls where they are kept warned to end their lives unless the authorities pays for the expense of their survival. The nation’s marine resources official has refused that request, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable circumstance.

Intelligent Marine Mammals

Scientists say that beluga whales’ brain structure, along with their mimicry abilities, cognitive challenges and social skills suggest they are remarkably smart creatures – something one caretaker discovered directly.

She spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a role that involved earning the trust of the aquatic animals.

“Developing those connections over time takes a lot of regularity and a lot of love. At the start, they’re very unsure of you,” she said. “In time, you gain mutual trust. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and rewarding.”

The trainer knew the whales were very smart, but she says she was nevertheless astounded by the subtleties and idiosyncrasies in their characters. She developed a special affection for Eve and Cleopatra with opposing natures.

“Eve accepted me. The other required effort,” she said. “They altered the way I view relationships.”

Growing Opposition and Deteriorating Conditions

Her relationship with the whales progressed against a background of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her tenure at the attraction, multiple belugas and the park’s one orca, the orca, died. In all, nineteen belugas have perished at the park since 2019, a statistic which the park links to age-related causes, but which advocates say points to the inadequate care in which they were maintained.

The park did not admit visitors to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she observed directly effects of the shutdown. “Structural materials is deteriorating from the pools because they’re falling apart and not being repaired. The whales are inquisitive and so they take pieces and swim around with pieces in their jaws. It’s heartbreaking to see.”

The facility did not comment to a request for comment, but earlier asserted: “The whales … get far better medical attention and 24/7 care than any individual in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Proposed Solutions

Burgess was fired from the park in recent months following the demise of Eos, an ailing beluga the employees had to euthanize. She said the facility suspected details of the incident were disclosed to the media and she was released shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ fate has left Burgess and staff members in distress. She says the park’s threat to kill its whales is a bargaining chip and is a “logistically impossible” task, adding any plans to put down even a single beluga would require “considerable staff”, equipment and heavy equipment.

“It’s impossible in hell the employees would ever do it,” she said.

She supports demands for the whales to be taken promptly from the park, with its deteriorating pools and shrinking team.

In recent months, Canada’s government official rejected a proposal to send the whales to China.

“Granting the proposal would have meant a continued existence in confinement and a reversion to performance for audiences,” the minister stated. “As the public, we know that marine mammals are meant for the ocean, not in pools for our entertainment. I could not in clear conscience authorize an relocation that would prolong the conditions these belugas have experienced.”

But Burgess said the official’s comments reveal a broader misunderstanding of the facts of living conditions for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The public needs to understand these are whales that have spent their whole lives in enclosed habitats and they will need constant supervision for the foreseeable future,” she said. “Many just don’t understand that it’s not as straightforward as saying ‘close it down’.”

Sanctuary Proposal and Ongoing Debate

As authorities struggle to find a resolution, proposals have emerged, some of which have questionable practicality. A suggested plan called for the belugas to be released into the open waters of Canada’s north – where whales are a primary resource of food for Indigenous peoples.

A planned sanctuary in the province of eastern Canada, which now received regulatory clearance, has proven contentious. The future facility, which includes extensive space of enclosed sea water, remains undeveloped. Advocates remain positive that it could eventually represent a long term solution for a number of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among caretakers she’s spoken with, there is “doubts there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ fate.

Different voices say the prospect of a sanctuary indicates a broader global shift away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a viable approach in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, director of the plan, said the facility will replicate the cognitive activities and nutrition the whales obtain from caretakers, albeit in a much larger area. He said after the medical condition of whales is thoroughly evaluated, which could take months|an extended period|